Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome With Dr. Monteith on Real Life Decoded

For an interesting conversation on Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome listen as Dr. Monteith speaks with Megan and Amy who have both suffered with PTLS. Real Life Decoded  is an Internet talk radio on blogtalkradio.com that discusses real life struggles and challenges.

Although PTLS is not considered a real syndrome by many in the medical community there are many women who believe otherwise. In this episode, Dr. Monteith of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center explains problems that women experience following tubal ligation.

Megan and Amy join Dr. Monteith and the host to explain how they finally found relief with the help of tubal ligation reversal surgery.

Listen to internet radio with Real Life Decoded on Blog Talk Radio

Getting Pregnant With Your Tubes Tied

Each year thousands of women choose to have a tubal ligation or their tubes tied as a permanent form of birth control. There are many different reasons why couples choose not to have more children. Some feel that their family size is larger enough, others are not in good relationships and do not want to bring anymore children into the situation and yet others have their tubes tied due to outside pressure.

Over time things may change and the women regret their decision. They want to be able to have another baby naturally. Some have remarried or are with a new partner that have no children of their own. Many  try different things such 'natural remedies' to help untie or heal the fallopian tubes that have been damaged.

Although there are some women who do get pregnant with their tubes tied, the chances are very slim. When a pregnancy is confirmed with an early pregnancy test the woman needs to contact her doctor right away. The chance of ectopic pregnancy is high. Ectopic pregnancy is when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the inside of the fallopian tube and begins to grow. Ectopic pregnancy is life-threatening and needs to be treated right away. If you are a woman who suspects she may be pregnant with tied tubes call your physician or get to the closest emergency room.

There are no 'natural remedies' that a woman can take to heal her fallopian tubes. This is where tubal reversal surgery is needed. Most physicians will try to persuade a woman to undergo IVF. For a large number of couples IVF is an option that they are not willing to pursue. IVF is both expensive and does not offer the high rate of pregnancy success that reversal surgery offers. The only time reversal surgery cannot be performed and IVF recommended is due to the fallopian tubes having been damaged beyond the point of repair. The leading tubal reversal center is able to repair tied tubes in 98% of all cases.

Tubal reversal surgery is far more affordable than just one round of IVF. The price for reversal surgery performed as an outpatient procedure is usually around $7,000. This cuts out the extra hospital costs. Beware of surgeons that boasts of extremely low prices. Make sure that is not the price for just the surgery. Many will "bait" couples with the price and then the couple is responsible to pay the hidden costs without knowing. This is not the good surprise that couples are looking for when they pursue ligation reversal surgery.

For more information on tubal ligation reversal visit Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center website. A vast amount of information can be obtained on this website. Videos and a message board have made it easy to find the true facts concerning reversal surgery.

Tubal Ligation Reversal Statistics Speak For Themselves

When a couple wants to have a child after a tubal ligation what are their options? The first option that is usually offered is IVF (in vitro fertilization). The second option is tubal reversal surgery. Most fertility specialist will guide their patients to look into IVF and dismiss the tubal reversal surgery.

Why is tubal reversal surgery dismissed? Are the numbers of women that do not get pregnant high? This is probably what many think. The fact is, tubal reversal surgery actually has a higher pregnancy success rate over the alternative of IVF. This is very rarely talked about, if ever. With the advent of studies being released couples are getting the true facts. The truth is being able to decipher the true meaning of what it is all about and the actual statistics.

Tubal reversal surgeons are now actually collecting and compiling the information in order to document the actual pregnancy success rate of reversal surgery. In the most recent study completed, The Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Report 20011, the facts are shown.

This is the largest study to date concerning tubal reversal surgery. From July 2000 through December 2011, 9,935 women underwent tubal ligation reversal at the leading tubal reversal center located in the USA. This is the most comprehensive study completed in the history of tubal reversal surgery.

Findings for those who have studied this surgery were as expected. There are factors that play into the success of reversal surgery and restored fertility. The age of the woman at the time of reversal, the type of ligation that was originally performed and the amount of healthy fallopian tubes remaining following the surgery.

Upon receiving a positive pregnancy test patients are then asked to fill out a Pregnancy Report Form. Once this form is submitted the tubal reversal nurses then stay in contact with the couple to track the pregnancy. Although the rate of ectopic pregnancy is slightly higher following reversal surgery it is imperative that it is documented for the study.

Those with tubal rings and clips have better tubal reversal outcomes. Clips and rings do the least amount of damage to the fallopian tubes. The lengths of the fallopian tubes are also a factor in success. The longer the healthy remaining segments the better chances of becoming pregnant. Although this fact is proven in the study it is also true that women with fallopian tubes measuring less than 2.5 cm have become pregnant. This is surprising to many whom have not studied tubal ligation reversal success.

For those researching how well tubal reversal surgery works the facts may surprise you. And although age is a factor it is not imperative that a woman be in her twenties. There are many women who are much older that conceive and go onto to have a healthy child.

For more information on age and type of tubal ligation please review the TUBAL REVERSAL PREGNANCY STUDY REPORT 2011.

Getting Pregnant With One Fallopian Tube

When a woman is ready to begin a family she normally wouldn’t give her fallopian tubes much thought. Females are born with them and pretty much take it for granted that they are in working order. But for those that have had tubal reversal surgery the fallopian tubes are a different story. These women have had surgery to have their tubes repaired and in some cases only one fallopian tube may be in working order.

So, when a woman has had this surgery and only has one fallopian tube she wonders if she will be able to conceive. And if she is able to conceive will it take a lot longer than her female counterparts with two working tubes. The answer will surprise many.

The fallopian tubes are where the fertilized egg travels through to get to the uterus to embed itself. Once the egg is in the uterus then the fertilized egg continues to grow and develop. With a tubal ligation the fallopian tubes are “blocked” so that the egg and sperm cannot unite. Those choosing to have more children after a tubal ligation will have to have tubal reversal surgery or IVF.

Having one fallopian tube does not mean a woman cannot become pregnant. What it may mean is that it may take a bit longer but not all of the time. The human body is a remarkable thing. Each month the ovaries release an egg. Many think that the fallopian tube on the same side as the ovary releasing the egg is the tube that catches the egg. This is not true. There are many women that have become pregnant when they have ovulated from the side where the blocked tubed was on. This means that the egg found its way across to the healthy open fallopian tube and began its travel. Because many women know what side they are ovulating from they think that because it is on the side with the blocked tube there is no chance. The human body is quite remarkable.

When a woman has a blocked tube she can still conceive and this has been proven time and again. Often, when a woman comes out of reversal surgery and hears that she only had one repairable tube the concern rise. Only after reading about so many others actually becoming pregnant does the hope return. There are many tubal reversal couples that go on to have multiple children.

For more information on tubal reversal and getting pregnant with one fallopian tube visit: http://www.tubal-reversal.net. 

Tubal Reversal And What It Means For Couples

Tubal reversal surgery is sought after by couples for a few reasons. The first reason that many of us are aware of is to have fertility restored. Women who have had their “tubes tied” may change their minds and want to have more children. This can be due to a relationship change or just the fact that they have had a change of heart. Others did not want to have their tubes tied in the first place but listened to what others had to say. As time went on they knew it was not the right decision and seek to have the damage repaired.

Others seek tubal reversal surgery due to religious beliefs. They now want to undo the mistake they feel they have made and make things right.

Another less spoken about reason is due to Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome. This is something that happens to some (not all) women after they have had their tubes tied. They begin to experience changes in their bodies and not for the better. Their monthly cycles may begin to get irregular. The bleeding becomes very heavy each month. Mood swings that begin to spiral and get out of control then dissipate and return. A woman may be fine one minute and then crying the next. She begins to feel overwhelmed and may have bouts of anxiety and depression.

When a woman seeks help she may become very frustrated because many in the medical community do not believe that PTLS is real. Test after test and money being spent to be told that everything “looks normal” begins to take its toll. Women around the world are now coming together with the help of the Internet and letting others know this happens. So many women have felt alone and not understanding how this could be happening to them. Major social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and others are now a place where women suffering with PTLS can seek support.

Tubal reversal surgery has helped women not only have fertility restored but to get relief from Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome. ChapelHill Tubal Reversal Center, the leading outpatient reversal center, has reported an increased number in patients seeking relief from PTLS. Patients are reporting immediate improvement following reversal surgery. Although many in the medical field will not acknowledge PTLS, there are surgeons who will perform the surgery for this reason alone.

Couples have been leaning more towards tubal reversal surgery for a number of reasons. The cost is much less expensive then with IVF. The Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Report 2009 has proven that reversal surgery has a better pregnancy success rate over IVF. Couples are also thrilled that they will be able to have subsequent children if they choose to without more medical intervention needed. 

Tubal Reversal Does Not Work As Birth Control

The title of this article is right. I bet anyone reading this is asking why I would even write something like this. No, I haven’t lost my mind. Although there are days I may be close to it!

The title of this article was done on purpose. It was done to point out a pretty ridiculous fact. There are actually physicians telling patients the reason NOT to have tubal reversal surgery is because it will not work as birth control. That is NOT one of the better pitches I have heard against reversal surgery. It is a very well-known fact that many physicians try to persuade couples to use IVF and not tubal reversal. When, in reality, it has been proven that tubal reversal surgery actually has a better pregnancy success rate over IVF.  Fact is, many physicians have never really studied the success of tubal reversal and will continue to push women towards IVF in order to have a child following a tubal ligation.

For a doctor to persuade a couple not to use tubal reversal surgery to have fertility restored because birth control will be needed after is ridiculous. Do doctors think that many of these couples have not already thought of this? Isn’t the reason why they are having reversal surgery is to “undo” the birth control? Seems to me these couples have already thought of these things. They want to reverse the ligation to have another child. They do not want the birth control in place. And, many of these couples will go on to have more than one child after the reversal surgery.

Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center is in the process of doing a blog series on tubal reversal myths and facts. Dr. Monteith is taking on each myth and fact and dispelling the rumors that seem to fly around. He is taking each and every one and explaining why some things are true while others are not. Taking the time to do this helps couples who are searching for the real truth.

All too many times a couple will visit a fertility specialist to have questions on tubal reversal answered. Once in the doctor’s office they are told that tubal reversal doesn’t work and to use IVF. Not only is the couple more confused they are feeling betrayed. Why do they feel betrayed? Because the surgeon they went to see advertised that they do tubal reversal surgery. This happens more than you think.

For more information on tubal reversal and to learn the true facts visit the Tubal Reversal Blog at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. A message board full of couples and videos are also available. 

Reversal of Tubal Ligation

Tubal reversal is the surgery in which the fallopian tubes of a woman that has undergone a tubal ligation. Often, I woman will have a tubal ligation because she is not in a good relationship and does not want to bring any more children into the situation. Once the relationship dissolves the woman may find a new partner and regret the tubal ligation that was performed. The new couple wants to have children and may not be able to afford IVF or what is known as in vitro fertilization.

Is there another way to have a child naturally? Yes, there is and it is less expensive than the treatment of IVF. This is where tubal reversal surgery comes in. The process in which a surgeon repairs the fallopian tubes so that the sperm and egg can unit and pregnancy can take place. 

When a couple begins to research reversal it can be hard to find information. Many doctors inform their patients to look into IVF. Couples may also be mistakenly led to believe that IVF has a better success rate. This is not true and is proven with the study performed known as the Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Report 2009. With the data collected from over 5000 tubal reversal patients, this study has been used by many in the medical community. This is also a great resource to those who want to understand reversal of tubal ligation better. 

Over the years IVF has taken the center stage. Although the pregnancy success rates are better with ligation reversal, most are pushed towards IVF. This may not make sense to some but there are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that the medical students studying now just do not get to see the procedure and are not given the information on it. The second is that many physicians do not go into this field of expertise because they have not been exposed to it. It is amazing the number of medical personnel that vaguely know about this procedure and its success. 

Now that this procedure has become more popular more and more couples are experiencing the great results of tubal ligation reversal. Many of the couples are going on to not just have one baby but more than one. These are the same couples that were afraid they would never be able to have a baby naturally again. Many times the surgery works so well that that couples are pregnant shortly after surgery and are pleasantly surprised and shocked. 

For more information on tubal ligation reversal visit: Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center

Tubal Reversal and Taking Care of Yourself

We all know as women that we need to take care of ourselves. Of course, this can be much easier said than done. If you already have children then you understand that just getting a shower can be an all out mission. But, would we trade it for the world? Um, no way. Which is one of the many reasons why we are the ones who are waiting to have tubal reversal surgery.

For those who are about to embark on this adventure known as reversal surgery there are a few things to remember. The first is that this can become a very emotional roller coaster. Just waiting for the surgery can be stressful. After surgery there is the "trying to conceive" phase. Sounds easy? Just wait until it is your turn. Each month that passes by without a positive pregnancy test can cause stress and frustration. It is not uncommon to wonder if the fallopian tubes are back up and in working condition.

While this is all going on it is extremely important to remember to take time for yourself.  Stress levels can build and even begin to cause relationship problems. Here are a few suggestions to help you take better care of yourself while in this wonderful reversal journey.

• Eat right. When we stress some if us can turn to food. Remember, your body needs to make a good home for a developing baby.
• Cut out the caffeine. Okay, cut it out as much as possible. 
• Sleep! Yep, we all hear this one but how many of us actually do it?
• Take breaks. Take a break and do something that you want to do. Always running and trying to be superwoman may just make getting pregnant take longer.
• Spend time with your partner. Makes sense....right? But, this is different. We can become consumed with getting pregnant following tubal reversal surgery. The problem is that the actual "act of getting pregnant" is not so natural anymore. Timing everything and giving the order that a "performance" is needed can REALLY kill the mood. Get back to being a couple. This is probably the best medicine I have heard so far.

Research, read and be comfortable with your own body and how it works. The more you know the better your chances of understanding how your reproductive system works. No tubal reversal patient can ever be "over-educated".
For more information on tubal reversal surgery and how other reversal patients are going through the adventure visit: http://www.tubal-reversal.net.

Is Tubal Reversal Surgery Covered By Health Insurance?

Does health insurance cover tubal reversal surgery? This is a question that is asked many times by couples who are researching the surgery. Often, they will be told by the initial call to their insurance provider that it will be covered. For any couple that is thinking of calling to be sure, make sure you get the name of the person that you speak with it. The truth of the matter is that most insurance companies will not cover the surgery because it is considered an elective surgery. 

So, how does a couple go about saving for this type of surgery? There are a few ways. The first is to see if the center where your surgery is being performed has a pre-payment plan. This is a plan where the money is saved it is put into a special account. As the account grows the excitement also builds because once the amount is reached the surgery date is then booked. There are many ways that couples that reached the goal faster than they expected. Here are a few of the ways that have been shared:

·       *  Have a yard sale. Couples are amazed at how many items they have that they do not use. Get together with a few neighbors and have a neighborhood yard sale to make it more fun.

·         * Cut back at the grocery store. Just cutting back on a few of the junk food items can really add up.

·         *Go through the monthly expenses. Are there movie channels that you do not watch? What about the unlimited service on the cell phones? Couples have found that when they go through their monthly bills they are able to save a couple of hundreds of dollars a month.

·         Knowing where your money is being spent each day. Although this may sound strange, there can literally be money being spent that doesn’t have to be. The coffee shop each morning can eat money without us even thinking about it. Have a coffee pot? Making the coffee at home can save quite a few dollars each month.

·         Using the income tax. This is something that many couples will do. Knowing ahead of time what they will be getting back for a refund helps them to plan if they will need any more cash set aside.

There are many ways that couples come up with to save money. Couples know that the faster they are able to save the money the faster the surgery date gets here. Saving for tubal reversal surgery may not be the easiest thing to do but many couples will tell you it is well worth it. 

For more information on tubal ligation reversal and insurance have a look at the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center blog. 

Tubal Reversal Or IVF-Which One Is Better

After a tubal ligation or “tubes tied” there are couples who desire to have a baby. The reasons are many but the most common one is a change in relationship. Both IVF and tubal reversal can work for these couples. The ultimate question is which one has the better success rate? Which one will the couple be able to afford? And, what if the couple chooses to have more than one child over time? 

Success of Tubal Reversal

The couples that go to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center are carefully chosen. Of the patients that have their surgeries at this tubal reversal specialty center 98% are able to have at least one fallopian tube repaired successfully. This is a huge accomplishment because many other surgeons would not even attempt many of the repairs. Sixty-six of these patients will be pregnant in the first year after surgery. After reporting the pregnancy, 35-40% will report miscarriage; 10-15% will have ectopic pregnancies and the remaining 50% will go on to have a baby. 

This means that about 33% of women that have the tubal reversal surgery will go on to have a baby and many of these women have more than one baby. 

The tubal reversal success rate at CHTRC is followed up with data collection and pregnancy self-reporting by the patients. It is possible for the success rate to be higher with the staff doing more follow-up. The staff is aware that not all patients will report pregnancies. This actually makes the tubal reversal pregnancy rate higher than what has been calculated, reported and then published.

The Success of IVF 

Success of IVF is a different matter. In the United States the average for all IVF cycles started and ending in a successful pregnancy is about 37%. This is lower than the reversal results collected and reported. 

Cost

The cost of tubal reversal surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center is $5900.00. The cost of IVF for each attempted cycle is $10,000 - $12,000. Couples who are searching for the most cost effective with the higher pregnancy success rates choose reversal surgery. With tubal reversal surgery the couple does not have to have any further medical intervention to attempt another pregnancy. 

There is no question that both IVF and tubal reversal surgery offer the opportunity for successful pregnancy following a tubal ligation or having ones “tubes tied”. IVF recipients do not need surgery, do not chance ectopic pregnancy and have the chance of pregnancy when facing other serious infertility problems or issues. With tubal reversal surgery the couple has many more chances at becoming pregnant, able to have more than one child and resolve any guilt about having a tubal ligation. Tubal reversal surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has proven to be less expensive and with a better successful pregnancy rate over IVF.

For more information on Tubal Reversal or IVF visit:  www.tubal-reversal.net.  

Tubal Reversal Facts-Are They True

For couples trying to research the tubal reversal facts there is no denying it can be confusing. On one hand you may hear how successful it was for another couple. On the other hand your physician may tell you to just skip the tubal reversal procedure and go straight to IVF (in vitro fertilization). So, what is a couple to believe and not believe? And, some of the information to be found on the Internet is even more confusing. One article written by an IVF specialist tells the “facts on tubal reversal”. The only problem was that these “facts” were biased and had no medical backing.

Yes, there are circumstances where the only option is IVF. Some of these circumstances are having no fallopian tubes left to repair and those that are beyond being repaired. Other than that the leading tubal reversal center has a repair rate of 98%. Many have been told that tubal reversal surgery does not work as well as IVF. Truth of the matter is that the Tubal Reversal Pregnancy Report 2009 has proven otherwise. Most times the first round of IVF does not work. With tubal reversal the couple has a chance of attaining pregnancy each cycle without added medical assistance. 

Dr. Monteith of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has begun a blog series on the Tubal Reversal The Facts.  For those who are interested or know some please watch for these informative posts. Taking the guess work out of tubal reversal research has just become much easier.

Dr. Berger and Dr. Monteith are tubal reversal surgeons at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. Together they have performed more tubal reversal surgeries than any other reversal facility in the world.